S'pore man, 52, allegedly sexually assaulted girlfriend's young daughter at cemeteries & home for a year, pleads not guilty

After parking his rented van at a cemetery in Singapore in May 2021, a man allegedly sexually assaulted his girlfriend's young daughter, who was sleeping at the back of the vehicle.

In the same year, the man also brought the girl to a cemetery to get water before apparently forcing her to perform a sexual act on him, reported Shin Min Daily News.

Although the girl, who was between the ages of 10 and 11 at the time, told her mother about the man's alleged offences, he apparently continued violating her.

It was not until February 2022 when the girl confided in her half-sister about the man's alleged deeds that her biological father filed a police report, which led to the man's arrest.

On Apr. 8, 2025, the man, now 52, claimed trial after pleading not guilty to the seven charges against him, which included four counts of sexual penetration, two counts of molestation, and one count of sexual exploitation.

According to CNA, although the man was born in Singapore, he remains stateless as he had lost his documentation.

He cannot be named due to a gag order imposed by the court to protect the victim's identity.

Lived with accused in rental flat & rental van

According to CNA, after the girl's mother, who was divorced, entered a relationship with the accused in 2021, they began living together in a two-room rental flat in northern Singapore.

The accused and the girl's mother would sleep in the bedroom, while the girl and her younger brother would sleep on the floor in the living room, reported Shin Min.

Additionally, the family would also stay overnight in a rented van parked at either the Christian or Muslim cemetery in Lim Chu Kang, as the accused was running a tombstone business at the time.

The accused and the girl's mother would sleep in the front, while the victim and her younger brother would sleep on a makeshift sofa at the back of the vehicle.

Allegedly sexually assaulted girl at home

In February 2021, the girl was sleeping at the rental flat when she woke up in the middle of the night, as she noticed that the accused was apparently touching her private parts inappropriately, according to CNA.

Although she asked him to stop, the accused allegedly refused and attempted to sexually assault her with his finger twice, reported Shin Min.

After both attempts failed, the accused allegedly repeated his offences a few days later, violating the girl at the flat again.

Allegedly denied accusations when confronted by girl's mother

Besides allegedly violating the girl at home, the man was also accused of preying on the girl at cemeteries while her family members were asleep, reported CNA.

For instance, after allegedly bringing the girl to the Christian cemetery and making her perform a sexual act on him, the accused made the request again when the pair were on their way back to the Muslim cemetery, to which the girl complied.

On her 11th birthday, the girl summoned the courage to tell her mother about her alleged ordeal, and her mother went to confront the accused, reported Shin Min.

However, nothing came out of the confrontation, as the accused denied the accusations.

He allegedly continued violating the girl in January 2022, including one time in a van parked near a shelter at the Muslim cemetery.

Man arrested on Feb. 4, 2022

The victim's alleged ordeal finally came to an end in February 2022, when she had a stayover with her half-sister, reported Shin Min.

After her mother asked her to return home early, the victim experienced a sudden emotional breakdown and told her half-sister about the man's alleged offences.

In response, the victim's biological father lodged a police report, and the man was arrested on Feb. 4, 2022.

The man's trial will continue on Apr. 9, when the girl is expected to give her testimony, reported CNA.

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